Vincennes Castle (Château de Vincennes) is located near Paris, in its southeastern suburbs. Comparing it with other French and European castles, several distinctive features can be identified. Firstly, the fortress in Vincennes is the largest fortification structure in France that has survived to this day. The area of the castle is about 5.5 thousand square meters, and the main tower is the tallest in all of Europe.
The second difference is the location of the lock. In those days, they tried to place such buildings closer to points critical for the defense of the country - cliffs, hills or mountains, but Vincennes Castle was erected on a limestone plateau exposed to all the winds. The ditch around the fortress was filled from a tiny stream, and the remaining water flowed into the nearby Lake Saint-Mande. In the vicinity of the castle, a section of dense forest has been preserved, which previously surrounded it completely. There was an abundance of various game in the forest, so the French monarchs and people close to them spent their free time from government affairs hunting.
The castle was not built overnight, but like most similar buildings of that time, it developed gradually. The beginning of the story is considered to be the moment when, in the 12th century, Louis VII decided to establish a hunting lodge in the middle of the forest. For a long time it remained a place where the French elite spent their free hours, celebrated weddings and other celebrations. In particular, Philip III and Philip IV hosted marriage festivities here.
Vincennes Castle was the starting point for the Crusades, the residence of kings and the final resting place of many French monarchs. Over time, the need arose to strengthen it, and in 1337 Philip IV ordered the construction of a central tower, complementing the defense with high walls. Charles V, who was born in Vincennes, chose the castle as his main residence. It was he who ordered that six high towers and three pairs of gates be built on the walls of the fortress. Construction turned out to be more expensive than initially thought and continued for several decades.
Over time, Vincennes Castle grew and developed. The Holy Chapel appeared on its territory, the consecration of which took place in the middle of the 16th century. For several centuries, the main tower housed the kings' apartments, until Louis XI moved them to a more suitable location - a new building near the fortress wall. The fact is that despite all the external grandeur, there is not so much space in the donjon. With external dimensions of 16x16 meters, the thickness of the walls is 3 meters on each side. As a result, only 100 m2 remains inside the tower, which was clearly not enough for the kings who were accustomed to luxury.
The Vincennes fortress was considered one of the three main residences of the French crown. In the middle of the 17th century, by order of King Louis XIV, two wings were erected on the territory of the castle, which were connected by a common courtyard. Built in the classicist style, they bore their own names - the Queen's wing and the King's wing.
With the transfer of the residence to, Vincennes Castle gradually lost its status, turning into a military building. A prison was organized in the donjon for criminals from high society. 100 years later, porcelain production was organized within the castle. The main tower, which continued to serve as a dungeon, during this time managed to “shelter” such notable individuals as Voltaire, the revolutionary figure Mirabeau, known for his reputation as the Marquis de Sade, and the encyclopedist Diderot.
Power changed, the monarchy gave way to a republic, and the castle began to serve not only as a prison, but also as an arsenal. The hunting lodge, which for many years served as a resting place for kings, was finally destroyed, and in its place several military buildings were erected, which have survived to this day.
Despite all the historical troubles, the walls and towers of the castle have reached us without any major changes. In 1964, the French President expressed his opinion about moving his residence to Vincennes, but the plan was never implemented. Today, the castle has been turned into a museum; tourist access to most of the premises is limited due to restoration work that began during the reign of Napoleon III. You can only freely visit the main tower and the Holy Chapel.
The main tower (donjon) is a rather impressive structure that stands out from the surrounding buildings not only in height, but also in architectural grandeur. It has a square outline, with sides measuring about 16 meters. The tower consists of six levels, each of which at one time had a specific purpose: on the first, supplies of food and water were stored in case of a siege of the castle, the next two floors were reserved for the king and his closest retinue. The remaining rooms were occupied by servants, warriors, and the king's personal guard.
A high, powerful wall was erected around the donjon. Although its thickness is somewhat inferior to the parameters of the walls of the main tower, it still looks impressive. At the corners of the wall there are watchtowers connected by a long gallery.
Tourists who have visited the fortress strongly recommend visiting the Holy Chapel. According to the architectural style, the Chapel belongs to the single-nave Gothic churches. An interesting feature is that the temple has two separate prayer rooms - one for the king and the other for his queen. Particular attention should be paid to the design of stained glass windows. Their author is the talented master Nicola Boren. During World War II, many stained glass windows were irretrievably lost and replaced with modern counterparts. But they did not last long, suffering from a severe storm in 1999.
The huge advantage of the Vincennes Castle over other similar attractions in France is that it is the only fortress that can be easily reached by public transport. In order to get to the fortress, you need to take the 1st metro line to the Chateau de Vincennes station, which is the final station. Since there are many exits at the station, look for the one closest to the castle, but even if you cannot find your way, you will still exit not far from the main goal.
The entrance to the territory is located in the so-called “city tower”. Entrance to the fortress is free; money is only required to visit individual buildings (such as the main tower) or book excursions.
Having passed through the main gate, you find yourself on a wide alley, delimited on the right side by a number of administrative buildings, and on the left by a small square. If necessary, you can immediately order the services of a guide at the tourist office located in the building on the right. Moving forward along the alley, you will come to the main square, from which you have a wonderful view of the castle donjon.
You can enter the main tower only through a narrow bridge that starts from the fortress wall. The interior decoration of the donjon may be a little disappointing for a fastidious tourist, because each floor looks the same as the previous one. A spiral staircase, which makes it possible to move around the building, is located in one of the corner turrets.
From the donjon, crossing back the pedestrian bridge and walking along the fortress wall, you can get to the observation terrace located on the city tower. From here you have an excellent view of the entire territory of the fortress courtyard.
It is recommended to visit one of the last architectural legacies of the monarchs - the chambers for the residence of the king and queen. Louis XIV, who conceived this building, rarely visited there, preferring the more comfortable Versailles, but Queen Anne of Austria visited the castle quite often. The ensemble consists of two identical, symmetrically located buildings, separated by an area.
Over the many centuries of its existence, Vincennes Castle has absorbed the spirit and grandeur of history. Its appearance reflected not only the architectural styles, but also the taste of the high-ranking personalities who lived there. Having been on a tourist trip to Paris, be sure to visit Vincennes - getting to it is very easy, and a couple of hours spent on the territory of the fortress will leave behind an unforgettable impression.
Vincennes Castle is located in the south-eastern Paris suburb of Vincennes: approximately 8 kilometers southeast of the Ile de la Cité and 300 meters west of the Château de Vincennes metro station. This is the largest French royal fortress that has survived to this day, and the donjon (52 meters) located in the western part of the courtyard is the highest in Europe.
Unlike most other fortresses, which were usually built on a rocky cliff or on top of a hill, Vincennes Castle stands on a flat limestone plateau. There is no river in its vicinity: a small stream filled the fortress moats, and excess water flowed into Lake Saint-Mande, located 850 meters west of the castle. In the Middle Ages, the castle was surrounded on all sides by forest, in which game was found and where French kings loved to hunt. To date, only a small part of it remains - the Bois de Vincennes.
In the mid-12th century, King Louis VII built a small hunting lodge in the forest. In the 13th century, under Kings Philip Augustus and Saint Louis, a small castle arose in its place. It was from there that Saint Louis went on a crusade from which he did not return. In the second half of the 13th century, wedding celebrations took place at the Château de Vincennes on the occasion of the marriage of Philip III (in 1274) and Philip IV (in 1284). In the first third of the 14th century, three kings died there - Louis X (in 1316), Philip V (in 1322) and Charles IV (in 1328).
Around 1337, Philip IV of the Valois dynasty decided to strengthen the castle and ordered the construction of a donjon, protected by its own fortress walls. Charles V, who was born in the castle, chose it as his official residence and transferred the entire top administration of the kingdom there. By his order, a powerful fortress wall more than a kilometer long with three gates and six towers 42 meters high was erected, although construction continued for two generations. The fragments of the crown of thorns stored in the Chateau de Vincennes were transferred to the Holy Chapel in Paris, while the castle itself began construction of its own Holy Chapel, which was consecrated only in 1552. Louis XI moved the royal apartments from the donjon to a new building built within the fortress wall. Subsequently, Francis I stayed there. The young Louis XIII spent several years at the Chateau de Vincennes after the assassination of his father Henry IV.
Vincennes Castle became the third most important royal residence. By order of Louis XIV, the architect Louis Levo built two wings in the classicist style on the territory of the castle, united by a common front courtyard - the Queen's wing (1658) and the King's wing (1661). On March 11, 1661, Cardinal Mazarin died at the Château de Vincennes, and a funeral service was held in the Holy Chapel.
In the 17th century, the castle's keep was converted into a state prison, which was intended for prisoners of noble birth. Thus, one of the leaders of the Fronde, Cardinal de Retz, and the superintendent of finance, Nicolas Fouquet, served their sentences in the Castle of Vincennes.
By the 70s of the 17th century, when Louis XIV settled in Versailles, Vincennes Castle ceased to be a royal residence. In the 18th century, a porcelain manufactory was founded in the castle, which was later transferred to Sèvres, and the donjon continued to remain a royal prison. It was visited by the philosopher Voltaire, the notorious Marquis de Sade, the famous figure of the French Revolution, Count Mirabeau, and the encyclopedist Diderot. In the 19th century, the purpose of the donjon remained the same, only the conditions of detention of prisoners changed. In 1848, the left-wing republicans Barbes, Blanquis, and Raspail were placed there.
In 1796 the castle was turned into an arsenal. The hunting lodge was finally destroyed, and new military buildings appeared, which have survived to this day. In March 1804, by order of Napoleon, the Duke of Enghien, the only son of the Prince of Condé, a representative of the junior branch of the Bourbon dynasty, was shot in the ditch of the Vincennes castle. And in October 1917, the same fate befell the famous spy Mata Hari.
In 1964, Charles de Gaulle considered moving the presidential residence from the Elysee Palace to Vincennes Castle, but the project was never realized.
Currently, the castle serves as a museum. In recent years, active restoration work has been carried out there. The donjon and the Holy Chapel are open to visitors. The donjon is a massive square structure with four round towers at the corners. The length of each of the four walls is 16.2 meters. The thickness of the walls is about 3.3 meters. The donjon consists of six floors, each of which contains a vaulted hall with a height of 7 to 8 meters on the first five floors and 3.5 on the top floor. Supplies of water and food were stored on the lower floor of the donjon. The second and third floors were intended for the king's chambers. And on the remaining upper floors there were servants and warriors.
The donjon is surrounded by a fortress wall, which is shaped like an irregular square with sides of just over 50 meters. The height of the walls is 11.5 meters, thickness - 1.7 meters. A covered sentinel gallery runs along the perimeter of the wall. There is a watchtower in each corner of the fortress wall.
The Holy Chapel is a single-nave Gothic church with two chapels on either side of the apse, one of which was intended for the king, the other for the queen. In the king's chapel is the tomb of the Duke of Enghien. A small extension adjacent to the chapel on the north side served as a sacristy. Unlike the Holy Chapel, located on the Ile de la Cité, the Holy Chapel in Vincennes was built at a time when two-story churches were already out of fashion. The stained glass windows of the choir were made in the mid-16th century by the famous master Nicolas Borain. The remaining stained glass windows, made of white glass with colored frames, were installed after World War II: some of them were broken during a storm in December 1999.
Several research and archival centers are located on the territory of the Vincennes Castle: the Historical Service of the Ministry of Defense, which stores the archives of the ground, air force, navy and gendarmerie; National Defense History Research Center; interministerial commission in charge of the restoration of the Vincennes Castle.
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The entrance to the castle is located a few meters from the metro station 
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For some reason, Vincennes Castle is rarely visited by tourists 
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To the right of the entrance is a large moat that runs around the entire castle 
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Central gate to the castle 
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Story
XII-XIII centuries
Around 1150, a hunting lodge was built on the site of the castle for Louis VII. In the 13th century, the estate was expanded by Philip Augustus and Saint Louis (it was from the Vincennes Castle that Louis went on his fatal crusade to Tunisia).
In the second half of the 13th century, Kings Philip III and Philip IV married in the Château de Vincennes, and Louis X, Philip V the Long and Charles IV died.
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Story
XIV-XVI centuries
In the 14th century, under Philip VI, the castle was significantly expanded and acquired a donjon tower 52 meters high, in which royal chambers and a library were located. Around 1410, already under Charles VI, the perimeter of the outer walls was completed.
During the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century, the castle became a prison, including for the future king Henry IV.
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Story
17th century
In the 17th century, the architect Louis Leveau built two pavilions by order of Louis XIV - one was intended for the dowager queen, the other for Cardinal Mazarin. However, after the king’s attention was diverted by a new project - Versailles - work on arranging the new courtyards was abandoned. Builders came to Vincennes again only in 1860 under the leadership of the restorer Viollet-le-Duc.
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Plan of the castle of Vincennes 
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Story
XVIII-XIX centuries
Storming of the donjon by revolutionary people on February 28, 1791
In the 18th century, the kings left the castle forever. It housed the Vincennes porcelain manufactory (since 1740) and, again, a prison. The Duke de Beaufort, Nicolas Fouquet, John Vanbrugh, the Marquis de Sade, Diderot and Mirabeau sat in Vincennes.
In 1804, in the ditch of the fortress, on the orders of Napoleon, the kidnapped Duke of Enghien was shot.
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Story
XX century
In the 20th century, the French executed Mata Hari in the castle in 1917, and the Germans executed 30 peaceful hostages in 1944.
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There is a military base across the street 
Vincennes Castle is an ancient residence of French kings, the central part of a park complex in the east of Paris.
Vincennes Castle grew up on the site of a hunting residence built in the 12th century by Louis VII. A century later, Philip Augustus built the first serious fortifications here; subsequent generations of monarchs continued in the same spirit, building and expanding the castle. Vincennes Castle was constantly at the center of events - kings were born here, married, lived (including as captives) and, from time to time, died. In the 17th century, under Louis XIV, the castle, which had already lost its defensive significance, began to be rebuilt into. But soon the king’s attention was occupied by a new project - Versailles, and Vincennes Castle was forgotten. In the 18th century it housed a porcelain manufactory and a prison. In 1840, modern fortifications were built to the east of the Vincennes castle, and in 1860, under Napoleon III, the castle received a park and finally became, first of all, a place of recreation and a historical landmark.
Vincennes Castle is, first of all, an interesting example of medieval architecture (as well as the talent of restorers, given its difficult fate). The shape of the castle is a rectangle 378 by 175 meters, surrounded by walls and towers (which were higher until the 19th century), and the same moat paved with stone. Even from afar, the impregnable donjon (the main tower of the castle, the place of residence of its owner), rising more than 50 meters, catches the eye. Opposite the donjon, in the castle courtyard, the Saint-Chapelle chapel is being built, made in unusual proportions (high but narrow), which creates an unusual play of light inside.
Two 17th-century pavilions deserve special attention - although they cannot compete in scale and design with, say, they still remain noteworthy places to visit.
Do not forget that Vincennes Castle is part of a large castle, where many attractions and simply beautiful places are located: for example,.
Hotels located near Vincennes Castle can be booked
Enjoy your visit to the medieval fortress!
We can talk about Parisian attractions for a long time, because there are so many of them that everyone will discover a lot of new and interesting things. But it’s not only Paris that I can talk about for a long time – its suburb. One of these places is the city of Vincennes, which is located in the southeast of Paris.
This is a luxurious area where you can relax your body and soul, and also learn many interesting legends and stories. What most impresses tourists is the Bois de Vincennes and the castle, which we will talk about today.
The history of the Bois de Vincennes and the castle is very interesting and rich. Back in the 10th century, this place was liked by Hugo Capet, the founder of the royal Capetian dynasty, as a hunting ground. Since that time, this forest has become a favorite place of almost all French kings. Most of them contributed some of their labor to improve his condition.
At one time, Philip II surrounded the forest with a fence with a total length of 12 km. Later, the French government began building estates here. Louis XV developed the forest for walks, making it a public place for relaxation not only for the royal family, but also for ordinary Parisians. The architect Robert de Cott helped him in this.
During the French Revolution, many trees were cut down, and shooting ranges, firing ranges and warehouses for storing weapons and ammunition were built in these places. After numerous wars and revolutions at the beginning of the 19th century, Les Vincennes became very neglected, since in those days no one was working on it, but it was used exclusively for military purposes. Only in 1855 did Napoleon III begin to develop a park on the site of the Bois de Vincennes. Together with him, the architect Barie-Deshami and the engineer Alfan invested their efforts here. The result was English style park: with lakes, fountains, bridges, canals, restaurants and cafes.
In the 20th century, the canals and fountains were cemented, leaving only the lakes. Alleys and paths were also built, and the roads that passed through the forest were closed, allowing people to move around on foot or by bicycle.
Now let's talk a little about the history of the famous Vincennes Castle. Its background can be considered a hunting lodge built in 1150 for Louis VII. Later, at the request of Saint Louis and Philip Augustus, the house was significantly enlarged. Royal weddings began to be organized here. At the same time, the castle became the place where Philip V, Louis X, and Charles IV said goodbye to their lives. In the 14th century, the castle began to be expanded again, and a donjon tower, where the royal bedrooms and library were located.
In the 16th century, the Vincennes Castle was built prison for rich criminals, where even King Henry IV was. Also imprisoned here were the Marquis de Sade, Count Mirabeau, Denis Diderot, Prince of Condé, Cardinal de Retz and many other political figures.
In the 17th century, construction began, and the government threw all its forces and resources here. They gradually began to forget about Vincennes, and in the 18th table
The French kings completely stopped visiting the castle, having made a porcelain manufactory. The prison also continued to operate here. Mata Hari and the Duke of Enghien were killed in this castle. Also in 1944, the Germans shot 30 civilian hostages.
On the territory of the Bois de Vincennes there is:
Zoo
There is a zoo in the forest, which is located on 14.5 hectares. It was created in 1934 according to the design of the architect Letrosne on the site of a zoological park. This place has created a natural habitat for animals. Despite the fact that some animals are in enclosures, they feel freedom, because the enclosures are very spacious and practically do not infringe on the local inhabitants.
During the Second World War, most of the zoo's inhabitants were destroyed or lost, but after the war it quickly recovered. Now there are more than 600 different species of mammals and 700 species of birds in the territory.
Institute of Sports and Physical Culture
There are also paths for cyclists, as well as a place where you can rent bicycles. The cost of one hour will cost 4 euros, but in a few hours you can see all the main attractions of this area. In the forest you can meet many athletes who actively train in the fresh air. It’s not for nothing that the Institute of Sports and Physical Culture was placed here.
Hippodrome
There is a hippodrome in the forest where you can ride thoroughbred horses. If you have ever gone horseback riding, you will definitely want to do it again. Young children can ride on ponies, which are also available at the hippodrome.
Buddha sculpture
The largest Buddha sculpture in Europe was built in the Bois de Vincennes, so many Buddhists visit this place for meditation purposes.
Vincennes Castle is called one of the most striking and impressive examples of medieval architecture, despite the fact that it has been restored many times. And today restoration work is constantly carried out in the castle.
Today the castle serves as a museum, so it can be seen from the inside. Visitors can stroll through the Holy Chapel and Donjon. A walk around the castle also leaves an unforgettable impression, because in this way you can see all the greatness of this structure.
Donjon
When visiting Vincennes Castle, the first thing that catches your eye is the donjon. It is a square structure with round towers at the corners. Donjon has 6 
floors, each of which performed a specific function. Here were:
Later, a prison for political criminals was located in this building. For security purposes, the donjon was surrounded by high walls. The walls were equipped with watchtowers.
Chapel Saint-Chapelle
One of the most beautiful buildings of the Vincennes castle is
I am the chapel of Sainte-Chapelle. Its construction began at the end of the 14th century, and it was consecrated in 1552. This construction was completed in gothic style, in shape resembles a slender tower, and is decorated with various sculptural compositions.
Inside, the church is divided into two halves, which housed separate chapels for the queen and king. Later, the architect Boren began making stained glass windows for this chapel in different shades and colors.
Museum of Military Symbols and Flower Park
Also worthy of attention are the Museum of Military Symbols with a rich assortment of ancient weapons and the Flower Park, where about 650 types of flowers grow. The varieties are selected in such a way that flowering occurs at all times of the year.
On the Internet you can find many Russian-speaking guides who arrange group and individual excursions to this area. Price it is about 35 euros. In this case, you will not only see a beautiful architectural structure, but also hear a lot of interesting stories.
If you visit the castle yourself, then entrance to the territory provided for free, and here cost of visiting the donjon will cost 7 euros. If you are traveling on your own, it is better to take a map of the area with you, as the area is quite large and you can get lost.
The Bois de Vincennes is located in the southeast of Paris in the 12th arrondissement, at a distance of 8 km from Paris.
Castle opening hours:
How to get there:
Address: Avenue de Paris, 94300 Vincennes, France
Official site: www.boisdevincennes.com
Castle and forest of Vincennes on the map of Paris:
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